Advanced Fuel Cycle – Cost Basis Report: Module D1-3 Uranium-based Ceramic Particle Fuel Fabrication

Abstract

Module D1-3 Uranium-Based Ceramic Particle Fuel Fabrication INL/EXT-21-64514 (September 2021) D1-3-iii Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis REVISION LOG Rev. Date Affected Pages Revision Description 2004 Version of AFC-CBR in which this module first appeared: 2004 as Module D1-3 2021 All Latest version of module in which new technical data was used to establish unit cost ranges: 2021 New technical/cost data which have recently become available and may benefit next revision: -China is building an MHR production facility to support a small fleet of gas-cooled reactors. A search of trade press and international nuclear publications might yield some useful cost data. -X-Energy in the United States is working on MHR development. They may have done some of their own economic analyses; however, these are likely to be proprietary information. Two U.S. corporations, CENTRUS Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN) and Global Nuclear Fuels (Wilmington, NC), are now partnering with X-Energy on TRISO fuel development in both the United States and Japan (CENTRUS 2017; WNN 2019b; WNN 2020b). -BWX Technologies (or BWXT) of Lynchburg, VA is planning a small production line for TRISO fuel for modular and microreactors intended for defense, aerospace, and special industrial applications. Any cost information is likely to be proprietary (WNN 2019a; WNN 2020a; WNN 2020c; WNN 2020e). -Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp plans to use TRISO-coated particles for its fully ceramic encapsulated fuel. This fuel type has possible application as an accident tolerant fuel for water reactors. Their development center will be located in Salt Lake City, UT (Patel 2021). Again any cost information is likely to be proprietary. -HOLOS-GEN has prepared a TRISO-based fuel cartridge design for a portable microreactor for use by the military in remote locations. INL/EXT-21-64514 (September 2021) D1-3-vii Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis